Rampage get top defensive back in dispersal draft

GRAND RAPIDS -- The Grand Rapids Rampage picked off the Arena Football League's interception leader with their first selection in Friday's dispersal draft of the Austin Wranglers and Nashville Kats rosters.

They chose All-AFL First Team defensive back Ahmad Hawkins with the third pick overall.

"I'm a big Hawkins fan," Rampage general manager Scott Woodruff said. "He's a guy we know really well because he's played in our division the last four years (with Nashville last season and Colorado from 2003-05).

"He's been a nightmare for us to play against."

The 5-foot-10, 191-pound Hawkins, 28, led the AFL with 13 interceptions, had 71 1/2 tackles, broke up seven passes and recovered a pair of fumbles last season.

Hawkins, a former University of Virginia standout, helped the Colorado Crush capture the ArenaBowl XIX title in 2005 and was named defensive player of the game. He has 29 interceptions in his five-year AFL career.

The Rampage had three first-round selections.

The team used the ninth pick on fullback Terrell Browden (6-3, 265) of Southern Mississippi and the 16th pick on wide receiver Kenny Higgins (6-1, 187) of Toledo.

Browden, 25, scored two touchdowns for the Kats last year.

The 25-year-old Higgins, named to the AFL All-Rookie Team last season, led Nashville with 95 receptions for 1,440 yards and 25 touchdown catches.

The Rampage used their final pick to select defensive lineman Brenden Givan (6-2, 252) of Stillman (Ala.) College. He finished with 14 tackles, a pair of sacks, three pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for the Kats last season.

"It's key for us to have four of the top 20 picks. There are a lot of needs to fill," Woodruff said. "I think we helped ourselves more than other teams."

Nashville quarterback Jeff Smoker, the all-time leading passer at Michigan State, wasn't taken in the draft. He threw for 3,446 yards and 57 touchdowns but also finished tied for the league lead with 17 interceptions last year.